Ponta reshuffles government

Victor Ponta, Romania’s centre-left prime minister, has reshuffled his government following the surprise resignation yesterday of Ioan Rus, the interior minister.

Rus said he could no longer do his job because of the political pressure put on him following a referendum to remove Traian Băsescu, the president. The referendum failed because a 50% turnout threshold was not reached, but the country’s constitutional court will certify the result only in September.

Ponta has been in a bitter stand-off with Băsescu, who was suspended by parliament a month ago.

Ponta appointed Mircea Duşa, a career politician from Ponta’s Social Democratic Party, to succeed Rus.

Ponta used Rus’s resignation for a broader reshuffle of government ministers.

Titus Corlăţean, Romania’s justice minister and a former MEP, becomes the new foreign minister, replacing Andrei Marga. Mona Pivniceru, a judge, takes over as justice minister.